I’ve been tagged for the Writing Process Blog Tour that’s been going around the internet, where writers talk about what they write, how they write, etc. Last week, my friend and last year’s Golden Heart winner for Paranormal Romance, AE Jones, posted her blog here.

So here’s a little bit about me…

What am I currently working on?I’m working on first-round edits for the first of three books I sold to Entangled Indulgence, about a woman who wins her venture capitalist ex-lover in a charity bachelor auction and drags him (quite unwillingly) back home to their small town in order to thwart his hostile takeover of her family’s shoe company. Mayhem ensues–but it might just turn into a joint venture of the heart. There’s a family feud, two crotchety grandparents, and some small town craziness before these two people who can’t keep their hands off each other finally get together. No release date yet, but stay tuned!

I just finished rewriting my Golden Heart winning manuscript from last year, and I’m working on the second book in my Indulgence series.

How does my work differ from others of its genre? I love books with deep emotion and a lot of smart humor and sass. I work really hard to get those qualities into my work. We’ll see how well I succeeded!

Why do I write what I write?

I didn’t start out writing Contemporary Romance. I actually have the drafts of four Regency novels in boxes in my closet. I wrote my first contemporary as a break from the research-heavy historicals and somehow my contemporary voice clicked. Or, I finally figured out how to plot well enough that the middle of my novel didn’t sag and droop. I think it’s one thing to capture an agent’s attention with a dynamite beginning but a whole other process to sustain that can’t-wait-to-turn-the-page feeling throughout an entire book.

How does my individual writing process work?

I treat it like a job, the same routine every day. So much so that when my dog sees me pick up the coffee mug every morning, she (politely) demands a rawhide chew and accompanies me up to my office. (Her version of working along with me!) I pretty much abandon every household chore that I can until mid-afternoon.

Of course, family and other demands can suck time away so I have a daily word count goal and I do my best to accomplish that. I watch very little T.V. but when I take breaks I love to read. As with any career, life balance is important so I try to exercise and tend to body, mind, and spirit. It’s hard to get away from your job when you work at home. Leaving the work behind is hard for me!

I used to pants my way through a story but I now force myself to first do a blurb, then a synopsis and three chapters. The synopsis is so painful, but it forces me to look ahead to all the major turning points and do my best to plan the black moment to be the blackest of the black for both hero and heroine. I’ve found this to save a lot of heartache and time when the plot meanders into dangerous territory that you need to dig it out from. That’s not to say the characters change things up as they will (they’re all so determined and stubborn!), but the general structure gives me goals to aim for.

My advice to those trying to be published the traditional way is to learn enough craft to get noticed. My agent, Jill Marsal, worked with me to take my draft to a whole new level, and now my editor is doing the same. So put yourself in a position to always work with people–starting with your critique partners–who push you to become better.So thanks for stopping by. Does anyone have any other advice for writers pursuing publication, traditional or otherwise?

Now I’m tagging new author Christine Glover, whose first novel for Entangled Indulgence debuts on June 30th. I met Christine when she happened to sit at my table last year at the RWA Awards ceremony. Check her out on the Writing Process Blog Tour on her website next Monday, June 23!

Born in the Netherlands, Christine moved to Canada where she spent her formative years. Then she married her Texan Alpha Physicist, moved to the United States and she has lived both south and north of the Mason Dixon line. Now Christine resides in Alabama with her husband, two insane cats and her wonderful daughter. She enjoys finding the silly in the serious, making wine out of sour grapes, and giving people giggle fits along with heartfelt hugs. When she’s not writing, you can find her traveling the world, cooking gourmet food, and desperately seeking a corkscrew.

And take a look at Christine’s gorgeous cover and blurb for The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion (isn’t it red hot!):

Can he satisfy his craving without losing his heart?

Corporate Maverick Zach Tanner returns to North Carolina to rebuild his dying friend’s resort. He’s got the money, the power, and the will to transform Sweetbriar Springs into a premier spa for the glamorous, but he doesn’t count on the woman he once loved…and lost…to handle the construction contract. Zach thought he’d buried his desire for Kennedy five years ago. He was wrong, and now he’s determined to satisfy his craving…

Construction company owner Kennedy Gibson is eager to restore Sweetbriar Springs, but when she realizes Zach is her new boss she’s terrified he’ll learn the truth about their breakup so long ago. She vowed never to hurt him again, but she can’t deny the passion he reignites in her. She wants to believe she has a chance for a different future with him, but will her secret threaten to destroy their red-hot reunion?